Six members of the Shady Side Academy Class of 2023 were named semifinalists in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
These seniors will compete for some 7,250 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million offered next spring.
The SSA semifinalists are: Ella Gardner, Shaler; Emma Gardner, Shaler; Elaine Gombos, O’Hara; Michael McCoy, Lighthouse Point, Fla.; Savita Thompson, O’Hara, and Alexander Todd, Upper St. Clair.
The nationwide pool of 16,000 semifinalists represents less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state on the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. More than 90 percent of semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of finalists will win National Merit Scholarships.
In addition, four SSA seniors were named commended students in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship program. Although they do not continue or National Merit Scholarships, some become candidates for corporate-sponsored scholarships.
SSA’s commended students are: Aidan Adams, Mars; Cole Bennett, Pine; Smrithi Shyam, Hampton, and Hannah Song, O’Hara.
